


After you (JUMINxJAEHEE)

by LilyCH



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: 707 Route Spoilers, Boss/Employee Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Jaehee Route Spoilers, Jumin Route Spoilers, Multiple Pairings, Non-Canon Relationship, POV Third Person, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Slow Burn, Unofficial Sequel, Yoosung Route Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2018-09-07 23:56:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 16,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8821345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyCH/pseuds/LilyCH
Summary: After Jaehee left her job as Jumin's assistant, they're no longer in a boss-employee relationship. Now, they're trying to be more friendly to each other but the new situation is still uncomfortable for both of them.





	1. Job offer

 

A week had already passed since the last RFA party was held. Jumin Han was sitting at his desk in his office reviewing a large pile of job applications. "That's useless," He muttered, "Why can't i find a qualified candidate to fill the empty assistant position?"  
He stood up and was about to leave when he heard a knock at the door and someone entered the office. It was MC.  
"Oh! It's you MC, i was about to call you." He said offering her a seat.  
"Hello Jumin," she greeted him glancing at the resumes on his desk, "So you're still searching for an assistant?"  
"I hope you made a final decision about the matter we discussed before MC. I'll be glad if you accept my offer and become my assistant. I'll meet all your conditions."  
MC hesitated a bit then she replied, "I already told you that i'm not fit for this job."  
"Why not? You did an excellent job preparing for the party and dealing with guests. You proved that you have good communication skills and you're able to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines," Then he added, " Also i can trust you since you're an RFA member."  
"Oh but---"  
"Don't worry," Jumin interrupted her, "The salary is negotiable and the working environment is excellent, you'll never regret it."  
"Um it's not about that, but i already promised Jaehee to help her with the cafe business, i'm sorry Jumin." She said faintly.  
She was embarrassed, she didn't want to disappoint him but she had to answer his offer sooner or later.  
"Hmm i see," He tried to remain calm, "So how's assistant Kang? Ah no i should call her Jaehee now."  
"She's fine, we already started the preparations for the cafe, Jaehee is really excited."  
"Such a waste," Jumin sighed, " She chose to start a small ineffective project over a stable career."  
"Oh don't say that Jumin, you know that she chose the path to a better life."  
"Anyway, i'm not interested in this cafe project or whatever it is but if you need anything don't hesitate to ask, i'd like to help."  
"Thank you very much, i must go now. Good bye Jumin, see you later.  
MC left and Jumin sat down at his desk checking the resumes all over again.  
" Hmm 'a path to a better life'! We'll see."


	2. A surprise visit

The RFA app's chat room was more active than usual that day, all the guys were online. All they talked about was the new cafe, how the project was successful and how Jaehee and MC looked very happy. Of course Jumin got pissed off whenever they brought up the subject. He said multiple times that he's not interested but in reality he was a bit curious. He can't understand why would someone quit a high paid job to start all over again with such a small project. So he decided to pay them a visit to see what all the fuss was about

The cafe was small but very lovely; warm atmosphere and cute decorations all over the place. A lot of people were there; families, children and couples having fun chatting and drinking coffe. MC and Jaehee were very busy greeting the customers, taking orders and serving.  
Then a man entered the cafe and looked directly at the two girls.

"Oh! Hello Mr.Han," Jaehee was surprised, "I didn't expect you to come here."

"Why are you calling me Mr.Han? You're no longer my assistant," He said.

"Um... You're right."

"I usually don't appreciate such places, don't you think that it's overdecorated and a bit vulgar? You women have a strange taste."

Jaehee rolled her eyes, she knew that he'll start criticizing and judging. She admired his honesty at times but he was being too harsh.

"Uh well... The other customers seem to like it," She replied.

"Anyway, congratulations," He said, "You two seem very happy, i know the last thing you want to focus on now is failure but it's often said that more than half of new businesses fail during the first year. I hope you're not having an unrealistic expectation of incoming revenues. Also considering your lack of experience and insufficient capital you'd better focus on managing taxes, expenses and other financial issues..."

"Oh my God!" Jaehee was shocked, is that the first thing he wants to say!

"Uhm... You're really an expert Jumin," MC said, "So, would you like a cup of coffe?" She was trying to change the subject.

"Yes please," He replied.

Then Jaehee offered him a seat. He kept staring at her, she looked so different than before. Her hair grew long, she became healthier and even prettier.

"So, how's the company? How's work going? She asked him.

" It's ok," He sighed, "But since you left the company i've kept looking for someone competent and capable enough to take the assistant job but in vain. It's hard to find worth hiring employees these days."

She was about to answer when MC joined them again.

"Here's your coffee Jumin," She said.

He thanked her then continued, "Even MC here refused to be my assistant and turned down my offers many times."

"Oh i'm sorry."

"So i ended up hiring Yoosung," He added.

The two girls were surprised, MC was trying not to laugh, "Yoosung? Haha that'll be so fun watching."

"Oh he's driving me insane, he's too clumsy and unskilled, but at least i can trust him. Also he won't end up having an affair with my father, well i suppose."

They talked for almost half an hour, then Jumin looked at his watch. "Oh i need to go now if you'll excuse me, good bye."

He stood up, was about to leave when he remembered something.

"Oh Jaehee."  
"Yes?"  
"I'm no longer your boss, things will be different from now on, we'll be in a free and equal relationship."


	3. Answer me

Free... And equal relationship? Jaehee kept thinking; What kind of relationship could that be? Is it possible for her and her former boss to be free from all formalities and be friendly to each other! But that seemed impossible.  
Lately, whenever they were left alone on the chat room the situation turns out being awfully awkward. After all, all they talked about before was work but now they have nothing to talk about. Also, considering that both of them were quiet and reserved it was so hard for them to start a proper conversation. She can't even get used to calling him by his first name.  
'Jumin,Jumin,Jumin, Mr.Han arrrghh.'  
Was that a curse? Even after she left working for him and started a new life she can't get him off her mind.  
She stayed up late that night checking some receipts when her phone suddenly started ringing, it was Jumin. Why is he calling? That was totally unlike him, even in the days when she was his assistant he rarely called her.  
For a split second, she forgot that she's no longer his employee and thought he would tell her to take care of the cat or give her more work. After a moment of bewilderment she picked up the phone.

'Hello... You're still awake!' He said.

'Umm yes... What's the matter?' Asked Jaehee.

'I actually wanted to ask you something. Well you know that i'm still searching for an assistant, i checked all the resumes and there are several ones that are qualified enough to take the job but i can't decide. The idea of building trust with a complete stranger and getting disappointed again bothers me, what do you think as someone who worked for me before?'

Jaehee was surprised, she has no answer for this or maybe she has but it will not please Jumin. Also seeing him talking about his emotions and asking for her opinion flustered her a bit.

She remained silent, then he added, 'Come on give me an honest answer, i'm not your boss you have nothing to lose. Zen thinks that i'm just making things harder for myself.'

'Umm that's...', Jaehee hesitated.

He sighed, 'Huh? I see, you're still wary of me even after quitting the job... Ok forget about it, i must hang up now.'

This call left Jaehee wondering, Jumin never cared about what others think of him and always considered expressing emotions a waste of energy. She didn't answer his question, she was too intimidated by him that she could barely talk.

'Ugh look at the time, i should stop thinking.'


	4. Mixed feelings

After he hung up the phone that evening, Jumin stood against the wall for several seconds wondering.  
'She said nothing, as usual cautious and choosing her words carefully around me.'  
Elizabeth the 3rd was following him purring and rubbing its face and body against his leg.  
'Elizabeth what do you think?' he asked the cat.  
'Meow.'  
He smiled bitterly and pet her.  
'Maybe a cat is just a cat after all but even if you can't completely understand me at least you won't lie to me.'

 

**** **** **** 

 

When MC arrived at the cafe the next morning she found Jaehee already there absent-minded, looking through the window. 'Good morning Jaehee.'  
She said cheerfully. But Jaehee returned her greeting without enthusiasm. She quickly noticed that her friend was feeling down so she asked her if there was a problem.  
The girl smiled nervously.  
'No there's nothing...'  
Jaehee hesitated a bit whether to tell MC about the phone call with Jumin.

'Well actually, Jumin called me yesterday. I think he was a bit drunk, he asked me---'

'Jumin again?' MC interrupted her,  
'I know, he told you that he can't find an assistant, he already talked about this in the messenger. Listen Jaehee, this might sound harsh but you already worried about that guy for more than two years, now it's no longer your job he can solve his problems by himself. He always took pride in his ability to make rational decisions so why is he getting emotional now!'  
Jaehee raised an eyebrow and MC realized her voice was too loud, she took a deep breath before saying more quietly, 'I really care about everyone in the RFA including Jumin but you're the closest to me now Jaehee. Please, i want you to be selfish once in a while and just enjoy your new life. Don't get distracted and stop worrying about others'.  
MC was too honest, she regretted pressuring Jaehee and talking that way about Jumin. She was embarrassed so she avoided eye contact with Jaehee for the rest of the day.  
Indeed, what Jaehee wanted the most was to step out of her boss' shadow but  
MC's overreaction and how she got all defensive surprised her. Yet, she somehow felt happy that someone cared for her that much. MC had always stood by her side and gave her courage to persue her dreams. It then occurred to her that maybe...Maybe even Jumin needed someone like this in his life, a person who can understand his feelings. He wasn't only her former boss but also a member of the RFA and a... She can't think of him as a friend but at least a comrade.


	5. Trouble

One thing Jaehee had learnt in the last few months was that a coffee shop is a real business with real customers, real overheads and a lot of potential to go wrong. It's hard work and anyone thinking that it's a great lifestyle choice will find it difficult to make money.  
The gap between working in a café because it's fun and romantic and doing the same thing because you have to is enormous.  
In the past, She felt restless working in an office. She was unhappy sitting at a desk everyday and she saw a far greater opportunity to grow and create the kind of life she really wanted. But the coffee shop needed to be treated as proper business too, running one involves working long hours to get things right. It was quite physical and tiring and it dictated her life style.  
Working as a barista takes early mornings, weekend work and all the patience in the world to deal with the customers, you're dealing with people that you will rely on to turn up day after day. And people can be annoying, difficult, irritating, rude and sometimes downright offensive. MC was the kind of person who can put up with all of that and still smile and say goodbye, she was a great communicator and she was adept at building the relationships that would sustain and grow the business but her lack of experience was the problem.  
Jaehee who was more introverted and business-like didn't enjoy working as waiter so she quickly adapted herself to become the barista. The first few months the bank balance looked great then things started getting worse day after day. Fewer and fewer customers dropped in, they end up throwing 3/4 of a cake away because no one buys it. The two girls were in shock, they've put a lot of effort into the place and haven't gotten much out of it. Jaehee was stressed out , she had spent restless days and sleepless nights trying to come up with a solution. Unfortunately the failure of a small cafe is not a question of competence, it is a sad given.  
Friends and RFA members tried to help and comfort the girls. And of course Jumin couldn't resist the urge to diagnose and overanalyze, he could congratulate himself and think he had done something helpful. But he hadn't. The opposite. Advice giving usulally doesn't work in situations like this, and often completely backfires.  
All Jaehee really wanted was empathy and some company. Instead, she received a barrage of advice from Jumin that left her feeling worse than before because  she had already exhausted all those options and she couldn't afford his suggestions.  
One day, she was already teary and upset when she got this text from him:

FAILURE IS UNAVOIDABLE IF YOU'RE SETTING OUT TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW. AS SOON AS YOU SEE IT IS NOT AS GREAT AS YOU WANTED IT TO BE, SCRATCH THE IDEA AND START ALL OVER AGAIN.  
JUMIN

It irritated her even more.

 

She didn't believe in superstition but she couldn't help thinking that Jumin was a jinx


	6. Start over?

Jumin was still going on and on about the café issue and how he warned them about the risks from the beginning. And as usual, he made everyone in the chat room angry.  
"I told you so", he said.  
I TOLD YOU SO only makes things worse so it's better not to say it. No one is going to respond with " you know what? You're right and you did tell me. You're so smart and so brilliant."  
Had Jaehee not know that he wasn't that kind of person and that he probably didn't even care, she'd think he was waiting for this opportunity to rejoice over her misfortune.

"I would like to talk this through with you. Please call to arrange a meeting whenever's convenient tomorrow. I'm sure we can work something out." Jumin told her over the phone.

How persistent! Jaehee thought. He seemed strangely concerned.  
So she went to his house the next day. Her hand trembled slightly as she knocked on the door and waited for a response.  
Jumin opened the door, he was wearing a dark suit and a slight frown. She stepped inside and the door closed behind her.  
He still couldn't get used to her new look. Long hair all straight and sleek, her makeup and clothes all looked different. He offered her a seat and sat opposite her where the cat was laying, he gently stroked its back with his finger tips.

"Say hello to Elizabeth", he addressed Jaehee, " it's been a long time since you've last seen each other."

She rolled her eyes and pretented she didn't hear what he said.  
And this was followed by rather an awkward silence. Jaehee remained reticent, not speaking unless spoken to. This trait did not necessarily irritate Jumin since he himself was not particularly fond of small talk. He was not reluctant to speak on meaningful topics with close friends but in other circumstances he preferred silence.  
He took out two glasses and poured some wine then quickly swallowed a long drink. Jaehee had hardly started her glass when he finished the first one and poured himself a second. Making small talk was excruciating for both of them without the encouragement of alcohol.

"So, let's get straight to the point", he said curtly then continued, "if you do not see any avenue for generating a better cash flow it is best to close the shop and decide what you want to do next."  
!!!  
Jaehee raised an eyebrow, unable to understand what he was talking about.

"What do you mean?"

 

"Actually, i have a proposal for you. Losing your business is painful but it isn't the end of the world. You should move on and take quick and decisive action. You can return to your old job, i mean resume working for my company. The assistant post is still available."

He can't be serious.

"If you're still interested", he added, "  take your time and think about it."


	7. Before and after

Early in the morning, Jaehee walked to the coffee shop. Her face was puffy from the lack of sleep and drinking. As she stepped inside, warm sweet smells were drifting from the interior. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air and The chairs were stacked on the tables, the benches cleaned. Food was in the refrigerator and the tiles were mopped. MC had already scrubbed all the oven trays and cleaned the windows. But no customers no business. 

 

Jaehee turned over the door sign from open to closed then took a chair off a table and put it on the floor. She sat down and rested her head in her hands. She finally had time to reflect on everything that was happening.  
Jumin and his sudden intrusion into her own affairs, he was just acting out of self-interest after all. But he wasn't wrong. Her choices were to cut losses and walk away or keep pouring more money into a project that she may or may not be the best person to turn around and make profitable.  
4 years ago, her only wish was to find employment that offers a salary that can cover her expenses and be as financially self-sufficient as possible. And she got what she wanted; from promotion to money to a higher profile.

"When did i get so greedy?"  
She didn't intend to say it out loud.

"Are you okay? You seem on edge." MC asked anxiously.

Usually, they talked openly about everything. She was her only friend and confidant. But Jaehee didn't want her to worry.

"I enjoy life a bit more than i used to," she confessed, "but things didn't go as planned."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

Then MC managed to say finally "It is with the mistakes, failures and uncertainty when you grow as a person. Do not fear failure, remove the weight off to be what you desire."

Kind and gentle words. But sadly, that doesn't always work.

Jaehee's eyes welled up with tears. "I don't know what my goal is or where i'm headed in life."

"You've just got to do whatever you want in this life, whatever you decide is right. Accept everything that has happened so far. Be as happy as you can, that frees you of being trapped in a mindset that never opens during this life."

Jaehee remained silent, so she walked behind her and gently stroked her hair then wrapped her arms around her to calm her down. "Why don't i make us some coffee first, i'll bring some biscuits too." she said 

Jaehee stopped her.

"I'm going back to my old job," she said firmly. Out of the blue, "he convinced me. He made me realize." Jaehee averted her gaze as she uttered the words.

He!!

"I thought that part of my life was over..." Jaehee added, her lips parted with a bitter smile.

"I know you're anxious, that's why you're acting this way. Believe me we can turn around the business together. If that's what's upsetting you---"

Staring at her straight that time, Jaehee interrupted her "It'll be different this time. I'll keep balance."

"You look fitter now, you look healthier... You look happy. I would hate to see you throw that away." Her voice was barely audible.

That was MC's last attempt to persuade her but they were too emotionally drained. It was better not to push the matter further.

She straightened up and tried to put a smile back on her face as if nothing had happened.


	8. Back to work

It was little past seven in the morning and Jaehee had to go to work. She was already having a serious bout of déjà vu, suddenly remembering why she left in the first place.  
She looked into her closet trying to decide what to wear, or rather which of her almost identical black suits to wear.  
She put on a knee-lenght pencil skirt, a white collared shirt and a pair of simple black heels as she always did before.  
She checked her reflection in the mirror; a look of massive stress on her face. Then hastily gave her disheveled hair a comb. Her hair, still long and glossy.  
What will Jumin say?  
No not Jumin. Mr. Han. Her boss.  
She quickly smoothed and tied her hair with a ribbon for a more business-professional look hoping and praying he wouldn't mention cutting it short again.  
Jaehee set off to work early.  
She smoothed a hand down her skirt as she exited the main elevator onto her boss' floor. And there he was in his expensive-looking suit, holding his mobile phone. His brows were knitted together and he looked concerned.

"Good morning, Mr. Han."

He stared at her for a moment, watching her face. Then invited her to enter his private office and motioned for her to sit at the chair on the opposite side of his desk.  
He continued to gaze at her silently.

"You made the right decision, you know." He said finally.

Certainly! The right decision for his benefit. That's what Jaehee believed at least.  
After all, she was one of his greatest assets. She worked fast and had a reputation for being a finisher. The type of worker who completes the nasty, too hard tasks that everyone else avoids.  
was that his only motive though?  
They immediately started discussing. Budget discussions, performance evaluations, sales...  
Twenty minutes later, her brain was already aching. She didn't read anything heavy for months.  
After what seemed like two hours, Jaehee took some folders from Jumin's desk and was about to walk out of the office. But all of a sudden, he started talking again.

"Your hair..." He said.

She felt a tiny jolt of horror.  
Oh God. Please, no.  
She crossed her fingers.

"You're going to keep your hair like this, right?", his dark eyes softened for an instant, " It's okay. Do as you please."

And in one millisecond his face has defaulted back to grave and serious.  
She blinked at him in amazement.  
Did she hear him right?

 

With a final curt nod, she disappeared and headed hurriedly into her office before he changes his mind.  
She lifted a paper from the heap in front of her and stared at it, heaving a huge sigh.  
There was always a little voice in her head telling her "you'll never be happy working for someone else."   
After the boredom, the depression and all the crap she endured from her boss, she decided to ditch her well-paying but mind numbingly-boring job. Unfortunately, being self employed wasn't the answer to all her prayers. And there she was, again, imprisoned at her desk for the rest of the day.  
As she was staring blankly at the computer monitor, her phone started buzzing.  
It was a text message from Jumin!!

Tomorrow, come in late if you wish. You work too much.

 

What!!  
Jaehee stared in desbelief then hastily checked the sender's name again. It was Jumin. No mistake.  
It just sounded weird.  
What's happened to him?


	9. Decision

Jaehee was back, living the same life as though nothing had changed at all. Those long, gloomy days with no thoughts to occupy her mind except the dreary past and the uncertain future. Hideously aware of times's rapidly spinning thread. She was pondering what she'd managed to do up till then. Every sunrise for the rest of her days was going to bring more of the same.  
The coffee shop had been nothing more than an escape, an adventure, a diversion from the dour realities. She began thinking about selling the place, but it was a difficult decision. It wasn't just about making money, the shop had always been an enjoyable place that felt like home.  
It was saturday night, or early evening rather, just after sundown. Jaehee had decided to stay home on that particular night and watch television. She brought a bottle of wine and poured glass after glass wanting to forget about every single one of her troubles. She would drink occasionally on weekends, but never during the week. When she drinks too much, it was always a signal that she was denying something.  
She heard the sound of the doorbell followed by a knock.  
Who would come to her house at that time?  
Slightly annoyed by the intrusion, she grudgingly opened the door only to be greeted by her boss standing in front of her holding the cat in his arms.  
In her present state of mind, that was the last thing she needed or desired.  
Jumin glanced at the half-empty bottle of wine on the table and raised his eyebrows.

"Did something happen?" His voice was sardonic and unpleasant.

She was not in the mood to talk to anyone and certainly did not want to talk to her boss.  
They sat on a sofa in the middle of the room and surprisingly, Elizabeth leaped into Jaehee's lap.

"I'm going abroad on business and i need to leave Elizabeth with you." Jumin said straightforwardly.

"Why don't you just hire a pet sitter?" her colour grew higher and alcohol made her feel less self conscious and more confident.

"No. She's already familiar with you."

Jaehee released a sigh. Jumin was very stubborn and always wanted to get his way so she decided to ignore the comment altogether. She folded her arms, saying nothing and waiting for him to go and leave her alone. But he didn't.

"Can you tell me what you're concerned about?" He asked her.

Much to Jaehee's surprise, Jumin sounded almost kind.  
Since when did he care?  
She didn't say a word.  
He was surveying her with a perplexed frown, unsure of what she wanted to distance herself of.

"I asked you a question, assistant Kang." He said impatiently pressuring her to answer.

She looked at him helplessly for a moment then something like anger came over her face. She told him about everything. She told him about her decision to sell the café and how she had used alcohol to deal with difficult emotions and to fill in the empty spaces of her life. She bit her lip, holding back her emotions. But too late, tears were streaming down her face. She turned away wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.  
Awkward at the sight of her tears, Jumin's eyes widened for a moment as he scrambled for something to say. She detected a softness, though, in the way he was looking at her.

"Are you sure you want to sell it?" He asked finally.

"Completely certain." She hated that her voice came out shaky. Some part of her didn't feel so complete about that certainty after all.

"I would be a bad businessman if i allow you to sell without really thinking it through. You have to wait for the right buyer and the right price." He said.

She wanted to scream at him THIS IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. But it would be cruel to say such a thing. Also her job was at stake. Even under the influence of alcohol, she can't be that reckless.

 

"Don't let your emotions impact what you decide. It's a business transaction. Be businesslike." He added.

That was so typical of him.

"You don't understand." She said.

Jumin moved closer to her. Close enough for her to feel his breath on her face.

"What don't i understand?"

His eyes were fixed on hers. She couldn't look away and neither, it seemed, could he.

"I'm not interested in money. I just want it to sell quickly."

suddenly, Jaehee became aware of the fact that they were alone together and that he was sitting too close for comfort. The entire situation seemed exceedingly strange. She shifted a little trying to put some distance between herself and him. He seemed to realize that and moved away to give her space.  
It was time to stop the argument so Jumin petted the cat and headed toward the door to leave.

"You probably are happy that i'm like this." Jaehee muttered to herself.

But he heard what she said.

"We'll talk tomorrow after you sober up." His tone warned her that he was angry.

 

No way. He wasn't a man to be offended by something like that.  
After hearing the door shut, she burried her head in her hands resting her elbows on the table. All of a sudden, she couldn't track her thoughts and Jumin's argument kept out in her mind.  
She had never felt so uncertain in her life.


	10. Break the ice

The next morning, Jaehee woke up with a terrible headache and only vague memories of the night before.  
It felt like a real bad hangover.  
She went into the kitchen and made some fresh coffee then reached into the medicine cabinet and swallowed two painkillers to try and ease the throbbing headache pounding between her ears before taking a shower.  
The boss was off in some European country and to be honest, Jaehee was relieved the guy was going far, far away. Unfortunately, his cat stayed with her.  
She picked up her phone and logged into the messenger. Bad luck. Jumin was the only one online.  
What the hell was the right thing to say?

Good morning.

She typed.  
Not the best conversation starter though.

How's Elizabeth the 3rd doing?

Jumin replied.  
No 'hello' or 'how are you?'. Was he pissed off? It was impossible to tell.   
Jeahee walked over to where the cat lay sleeping and angeled her phone to get the best shot then sent the photo over to him.  
A few seconds later he replied.

That did cheer me up. Well done. About time :)

A smiley face!

 

Jaehee was almost giggling. She was glad he couldn't see how pink her face was.    
A moment later he sent a follow-up.

Send more.

 

Seriously! She'd brought it on herself. Her smile faded as quickly as it'd come.  
That guy sounded like he was well on his way to becoming a crazy cat lady.  
There was silence for a bit.

Mr. Han...

She started typing and then stopped.

About yesterday... I'm sorry... I didn't mean...

She felt herself cringe with embarrassment.

You were careless, and you drank much more than was good for you.

He spoke to her as if she were a child and her face flushed hot.  
I'll never touch a drop of wine again, she thought to herself.

It's better to drink moderately.

Jumin added and Jaehee wondered if he could read her mind.

So you're selling your café?

Jumin changed the subject all of a sudden but Jaehee didn't want to talk about it anymore. There would be no going back.

You're very interested. Why is that?

For a while he didn't reply. Jaehee instantly regretted asking the question.

No particular reason.

And he left the chat room before she could ask again.

 

She had thought him rude, arrogant and ill mannered... All those things, but that had just been his way to break the ice.  
She  shook her head as if to rid it of taunting thoughts. After all, she had bigger things to worry about.  
She dressed quickly while dashing around the apartment collecting her things, and hastened through the front door.  
It was her day off, she didn't have to work. But had a lot to do.  
Jaehee contacted a business broker to put the café up for sale. She was unaware of the complete process involved in selling a business and a little daunted at the thought of it.  
Then she had to get the place done up ready to sell. She cleaned it up thoroughly. It was sparkling by the time she finished with it. And before leaving, she put a 'for sale' sign in front of the café. She'd really miss the place.  
It was a difficult decision. But then, what choice does she have?


	11. Surprise!

After a couple of months, Jaehee was contacted by someone who was interested in buying the café. And few days earlier, he called to arrange a viewing.  
As she pulled up to the café, there was no vehicle out front. Maybe the buyer was late. Since he wasn't there yet, she decided she'd walk around the place and gaze at the view one more time... Before it becomes the property of someone else. She climbed out of her car and stared at the café for a few minutes in the mid-day sun. She hoped she could handle the barrage of emotions that were sure to hit soon as she stepped inside. Random memories continued to stream through her head. All the old memories and even the newer ones...

 

"Assistant Kang."

She went absolutely still. The voice had come from behind her. And it had been his voice. Jumin's.  
She turned and saw him. Her mouth fell open. She wondered how he'd suddenly shown up while she was there.  
Wait.

"You?" She stared at him. "You're the one who wants to buy the café?"

He nodded.  
Jaehee clamped her mouth shut and looked away. It was unbelievable, she didn't know what to say.  
He didn't say anything either. Giving her time to process this new development, she supposed. And then she let out a groan and snapped her head to look at him again. She looked at his face like she had never seen him before. Her face heated up and anger sliced through her. It was all too much...

  Then her signature was on the papers. She put it there, it was done. It all happened so much quicker than she expected.  
He could figure out the place on his own. She was done. She was leaving.

"Jaehee!" He called out. "Hang on!"

There was something about his tone, the authoriative note was gone, the voice was lower. He sounded almost sympathetic.  
She didn't want to stop but he grabbed her hand. At that moment and with that touch she could feel the misery of the world.  
She tried to free her hand but Jumin was desperately trying to keep her.  
Jaehee felt the red flush climb up her neck and into her cheeks.

"I'm trying very hard to put everything back together again, piece by piece, and trying to find out who i am. Please, stop interfering in my life."

Her voice was calm, but inside she was screeming.

Why?  
I don't need your sympathy.


	12. Change of heart

Jumin had come down to the office very early and sat at his desk flipping through some papers. A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He looked up and saw Jaehee standing in the doorway, staring at him. Damn!

"What's the problem, assistant Kang? Can't it wait?"

 

He was acting as if nothing had happened and seemingly unaware of the anguish he had caused.

"No. We need to talk now."

"Look, I know what you're going to say but I can't talk now. I'm really busy."

"I don't understand why you're doing this, sir. Could you explain it to me?"

"How about simply accepting my help?" He said calmly.

No. He just hated to admit that some issues might be beyond his capacity to handle.

"I can solve my own problems. I want to make mistakes, that's how I learn. That's how I know I'm living my life." She said.

"You've really changed."

"If I try something that I've never done before, something that's particularly difficult for me, and it doesn't work out that doesn't make it a failure. The fact that I actually succeeded in finishing it makes it a huge success." She added.

"You're talking just like a child again. Listen to me, money doesn't grow on trees. If it weren't for your job here, you would have nothing. But you threw away your money on some ill advised investment scheme. You still have a lot more to learn." He sneered.

Jaehee couldn't bear him to be right. But deep down inside her, everything he was saying felt true.  
It was useless talking of the matter, the thing was done.

"Well, since you asked..." Jumin's demeanor instantly changed. His eyes lit up and his icy expression seemed to melt. "The idea of a cat cafè was exactly what i had been looking for." He said.

"I beg your pardon!"

 

"A new, popular idea will garner you far more attention than something that has been done often before. In a town that is flooded with cafes and restaurants, you need to stand out. A cafè where you can pet kitties, and even take one home? Now that is newsworthy."

What the hell?

"These cafes are really getting a lot of attention, imagine playing with kitties while having a cup of coffee."

She had no idea what he was talking about but the enthusiasm was contagious. Her lips curled into a faint smile.  
Well, it was his property, he can do whatever he wants with.

"I guess..." She hesitated. "I guess it's better in your hands than in a stranger's."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He replied.


	13. Zen

MC was excited and wanted to share the news regarding Jaehee's cafè. She could hardly keep it to herself anymore so she called Zen and invited him out to dinner. She and him had been getting along so well lately.  
But it isn't a date. Just a friend outing to talk things out, Zen warned himself. So he shouldn't get too excited about it. It calmed him somewhat to pretend so.  
They arrived at the restaurant shortly after 8 o'clock in the evening and were swiftly seated. Zen was easy to talk to. So easy in fact that before she knew it the waitress finished clearing away their dinner plates. With a heavily laden dessert tray in one hand, the pretty waitress returned to their table. "Would either of you be interested in dessert?"   
As the woman spoke, her eyes never left Zen's face. The waitress had been flirting with him since they'd been seated, but so far he hadn't reciprocated. MC didn't know if that was because he truly wasn't interested or because she was there and he wanted to be polite. Either way she appreciated it. How embarrassing it would be to have him flirting back with her sitting right there.  
It wasn't that she was jealous or anything. She had no reason to be jealous. This wasn't even a date. She shook her head to snap herself out of it remembering why she'd invited him there in the first place.

"I've got something to tell you."

"What is it, babe?"

"You'll never guess what happened!!"

She was eager to hear his reaction to the big story. She couldn't contain herself anymore. She told him everything about the cafè, Jumin and Jaehee.

"Huh?" His expression dropped and his mouth fell open in surprise. "Jumin is the owner of the cafè now??"

 

"Yeah. He's turned out to be far better than everything people have tried to say about him." She said.

Zen wanted to pass off her belief as naïvetè.

"You're joking right? Are we talking about the same guy here? That self-obsessed jerk didn't really care about people or their problems, he just loves to meddle in others' business."

That nosy ass.

"He's a little intimidating, but I think they'll get along just fine." She said, almost to herself.

What on earth was she talking about?

"Even if they don't end up together, it's the best entertainment I've had in years." She added.

 

Zen looked at her like she'd lost her mind. He was used to her crazy ideas but this was ridiculous.

"You're not playing matchmaker, are you?"

It was all a joke really as he knew that Jumin was the last man on earth that Jaehee would ever look at.

"I don't know what's happening but it's pretty damn strange." She said excitedly.

However, Zen didn't share her enthusiasm. He had apparently grown bored with the conversation that didn't revolve around him.  
He changed the subject and tried to avoid any discussion regarding Jumin. They laughed and talked for hours then left the restaurant after he paid the bill.

"Let's walk. It's nice to do things we've never done before."

They walked together through the starry night. The sky was clear and the stars seemed so big.

"This is some first date," Zen joked, "but it's beautiful." He had not meant to call it a date, the word had just slipped out. He hoped she did not mind.

 

MC looked a little startled, but then warmed to the idea."I guess you're right. It is our first date." 

He was thrilled she called it a date.  
This was the closest he had ever been to her, and he enjoyed every moment of it... His feelings for her went far deeper than just them being friends.

"You know! I'd picked up on some vibes between them from the start." She said, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Who?" He asked, confused.

"Jumin and Jaehee."

Oh no! Not again.

 

He looked at her for a long moment, trying to determine if she was teasing him or not.  
Let's not ruin this beautiful moment that we're having.

"You're not bringing in that thing." His playful expression suddenly changed.

"Sorry to bother you... I just needed a bit of a chat really."

"Let's not talk about them anymore. Let's talk about us..." 

He hesitated for a moment then grabbed her gently and pulled her closer, their hot breath touching. She tried her hardest not to blush, but she couldn't help it.

"Better yet, let's not talk at all." He whispered.

Not wanting to lose a moment and before she could say anything else, he leaned over to kiss her. Before he realized, his mouth crushed down on hers. She did not resist, her lips yielding to his as her grip on his arms tightened.


	14. Cat cafè

Just when Jaehee felt like she had things under control, her boss gave her a big new assignment. Another strange project; a cat cafè.  
She was not sure at first whether this was some kind of joke, but she soon realized that he was serious.  
He had plans to renovate the place to attract more customers so he hired an expensive architect and a design consultant. And there will be a complete new menu.  
The first month under the new management went smooth. Jaehee was surprised to watch the business steadily increasing. Jumin was much more experienced than she was. He was superbly smart and had a big name in the industry. He really had a very strategic focus and he used the same approach in every business he managed.  
Jaehee had learned a lot from him. He gave her lots of practical advice which helped her grow in confidence.   
It was an eye opener and a learning experience, but now she knew that she had to take responsibility for her own decisions.  
Jumin wanted to have her running the cafè and nothing would change in the operation.  
After working on the business in her spare time, Jaehee took things one step further. She asked the boss if she could take Wednesdays off to continue building up the business. Asking for a day off during the week while working as his assistant felt like a ridiculous request on her part. But finally, with much persistence, her request was approved. Jumin finally agreed, which was no small feat. After working four days a week for months at her assistant job, she wanted to begin operating the business full time.  
She was going to quit sooner or later so it would be useless to pressure her.   
Well, technically Jaehee would still be employed by him as she took over the cafè. Only from now on he would handle the financial details and a  percentage of the profits would still belong to her. But he was frustrated that she wasn't entirely at his disposal and he had to hire a new assistant. Again.

                              * * *    
     
Jaehee invited her friends from the RFA to join her for coffee at the new cafè. Something she regretted later.  
Zen knew he couldn't stay long before being hit with a blocked nose and wheezy chest. When you have a cat allergy the last place you'd want to go inside is a cat cafe. But MC asked him to go with her and he can't say no.  
He cut a cruel look at Jumin then smiled at Jaehee.

"Don't worry Zen, we have a separate cafe area for those with allergies." She said.

"But wouldn't their fur get into the food?" He asked.

"There're double doors and enough separation between the kitchen and lounge, to ensure that no cats have a chance to enter food preparation areas."

Jaehee was answering all his questions with details. Jumin, on the other hand, kept a sharp eye on him.

"Cats are smart. They can sense when someone doesn't like them."

Zen's face reddened with anger.

"I don't particularly hate cats, but I can't help my allergies."

 

"Then why are you here?"

"Sorry to disappoint but I didn't come here for you," Zen was raising his voice in anger, "you're nothing but a nasty arrogant egomaniac."

Soon they were arguing with raised voices. They were quite audible to everyone, much to Jaehee's embarrassment.

 

The two girls were beginning to get irritated. Zen and Jumin continued to argue and Seven messed up the place that was already pretty much of a disaster, while 'playing' with cats. Yoosung was surprisingly quiet, which was extremely unusual for him. He did look like he was in a bad mood.


	15. Thank you

Early one morning, Jaehee went down to open the cafe as usual. When she entered, she found Jumin there. He had been reading the newspapers and he looked up when he heard the door open.  
How long he had been on there before she entered, she had no clue.  
She greeted him and offered him coffee. She made some of the best brews he'd ever had.  
They both loved this place, though one would not admit that to the other.  
A lot has happened lately and Jaehee wanted to thank him at the very least, but she couldn't find the words. He had a sterness about him that blocked any attempt to approach him. She sipped her coffee in silence, not knowing what to say.

"Mr. Han..." She really didn't want to have this conversation. "Thank you..." She didn't really know what she meant by that.

He lifted his head a tiny bit and glanced at her. She watched his throat work convulsively as though he were struggling to keep his emotions tamped down.

"I don't have room to empathize with other people. If I come here, it's to get something and leave. But if everyone I cross is going to be polite on the outside and just say pretty words that mask their true feelings, I don't need it. If you would talk with me, I don't want to hear any lies." His voice was cold and flat. It gave her chills.

What was the matter with him?  
Jumin appeared rather low-spirited. There were times when she saw flashes of fear and helplessness in his eyes. Jaehee could sense his loneliness and could relate to it. He was almost a reflection of the desolation she had felt not so long ago.  
You and I are so alike. I guess that's what brought us together. She thought to herself.  
He stood up and went to the window. She didn't say a word to contradict him. She simply closed the remaining distance between them. Slowly, her arms wrapped round him from behind.  
Tingles shot across her skin, and she felt mortally embarrassed. She was standing there and her arms were around him and they really shouldn't be. She didn't know what she was doing or where she was going with this.  
Jumin surprised himself by shuddering nervously at her touch. He felt her warmth close by. He felt himself warm under this vague sense of support or familiarity or whatever it was.  
But he guarded his emotions, for to give them free rein had been the cause of past mistakes.  
He still said nothing and it made Jaehee's unease grow. She had only wanted to help, but it seemed she had crossed a boundary he was unwilling to address.  
He pushed her hands away.

"I don't like the false implication of intimacy."

He walked away, and she was grateful that he left her to suffer this embarrassment alone. She couldn't believe what just happened and she didn't want to feel any more awkward.


	16. confessions

Jumin wasn't the man he'd always been. Truth of the matter was, he didn't know who he was anymore. Too many distractions prevailed upon him and Jaehee had his mind so twisted. As time passed, trust seemed to grow between them. His concern for her, his care and attention, his insistense in helping her despite the misunderstandings and the words spoken in anger.  
He remembered her tender touch with such clarity he thought he could feel her now, and his mind began to wander again. He eagerly sought the comfort of another person but he hadn't wanted to realize it, to recognize it.

                              * * * 

Jaehee went to work at the cafe as usual, but had trouble concentrating. She was anxious and sick to her stomach, she hadn't slept a wink the night before. Glancing out the window to the courtyard across the street, she saw Jumin. Instantly, she was breathless. She watched him loosening his tie as he approached.  
He entered the cafe and he seemed to notice her at once.

"Why are you here?" She blurted, "shouldn't you be at the office?"

"I don't know. I've gotten used to having you around." He said plainly.

"Pardon?" She was positive she had misunderstood him.

 

"I'm joking."

 

"Well, that wasn't very funny."

Jumin ignored her comment and remained silent. She kept her eyes on him and watched as he surveyed the place with satisfaction.

"You've really managed the business very well, thanks to your hard and dedicated work. You've acted more like a partner instead of an employee."

His sudden compliment surprised her.

"I'm just doing my job." She said coldly then swallowed, suddenly very aware of how she was sounding. "No. Actually, I've learned a lot working here. Yes, I could make a lot more money being your assistant. I could have some high-powered, pressurized career, but it's not what I want. I want to stay here and enjoy a fulfilling life at a different pace."

"You've changed a lot from two years ago. I'd have to say you handled yourself a lot better than I ever would have expected. You've become a different person." After a short silence he added, "your hair looks different too."

Jaehee was caught off guard by his sudden change of subject.

"Oh, my hair? I just wanted it in a different style."

To her amazement his eyes brimmed, and a compassionate smile softened his face. He reached out slowly and touched her hair running his fingertips lightly down the side of her face in a gesture which felt almost gentle.

"I see that it has grown back." He whispered. "It's beautiful."

Feeling suddenly shy, Jaehee thought it best if she kept her gaze averted. A touch of pink spread through her cheeks. Jumin quickly straightened and made his face unreadable.  
Then she jerked her head back, still at a loss for what had just happened.

"Yes, I've changed in so many ways but I can't take full credit, it was you who encouraged me to start over. You've done so much for me. I don't know how to repay you." She said.

"I'm doing it for selfish motives."

Jaehee knew that wasn't true.

"No. I'm sure you've changed too."

He looked at her intently. Suddenly, his face was overshadowed by a frown and he looked away, as though struggling what he had to say next.

"You think so?" He asked her.

"Do you actually care what I think?"

"No. I'm just curious. Actually, you're just seeing a different side. I'm still the same person, you know. You can't deny that we managed things very well together from the start. But... I took you for granted, didn't I?" Jumin added. "I let you become an afterthought. I never listened to what you wanted. That's where I went wrong."

Jumin knew he was probably saying too much. It wasn't like him to stray too far into the emotional realm of things, especially with her.  
But he could sense that she felt a connexion with him at that moment. That she was confused by it as well. Clearly she never expected to hear him say such things. But mostly, he could tell that she never expected to find any form of a deep commonality between them, to understand fully what he was thinking and feeling.


	17. Mysterious letter

Jumin was sitting at his desk, head bent, engrossed in a file, jotting down notes. He turned as a knock echoed through the room. It was the new assistant he had hired.

"There's a letter for you, sir."

"Leave it on my desk."

She smiled as she stepped into the room and handed him the envelope. A brief glance showed him that she would not last long.

"Do you need anything else, Mr. Han?" She asked as she stopped in front of him and looked up. "Anything at all?" She whispered, taking a step closer.

"No, you are dismissed." He replied bluntly.

A slight pout formed her lips, but she didn't say anything else. Jumin watched as she slowly walked toward the door. He knew she paused before she opened it to see if he was watching her. He waited until she quietly shut the door behind her before he looked up from the contract he was reading.

Jumin's hand froze holding the envelope, a feeling of uneasiness erupted in him.

"I wonder what this says, there's no name on it."

He reached for his letter opener and tore open the envelope in a single motion.  
Inside there was a photograph, and a card.  
A cold chill came over him.  
It was a photo of V and Rika, torn in half!!  
What was this?  
He picked up the small card and opened it. It had a large sunflower printed on the front, sort of a generic greeting card. Inside was a short note. Just a few lines of typewritten text:

The worst type of betrayal comes at the hands of those we hold the closest to our hearts.

Jumin had no idea who could have possibly sent it. He hoped that this was all part of some prank because things could turn ugly if it wasn't.  
He was getting past logical thinking. When he couldn't reach any coclusion, he grabbed his cell phone and dialed V's number but was unable to get in touch with him so he ended the call and started typing.

Please call me back as soon as possible. It's urgent.

But still nothing. No call, no text.  
He took the little card out and read it again, puzzling over the identity of the sender. All kinds of thoughts raced through his head.  
He had a slight headache so he laid his head against the back of his desk chair, closing his eyes, and tried to clear his mind. However, he could not help thinking about this unknown person who had sent him the earlier note.


	18. Jumin and V

It had been nearly a week since Jumin received that anonymous letter and he still had not been able to contact V. He was clueless and the number of question marks had only multiplied. Matters had taken a turn to the worse recently which made him worry.  
He was thinking hard, then suddenly realized his phone was flashing and grabbed it. He clicked through his screen and checked the messenger app.

!!!

V: Jumin... It's been a long time. How are you?

 

Jumin was surprised to see V online.

Jumin: I tried to call you several times but wasn't ever able to reach you!

V: I know, I know. I've been kind of absent lately. I'm so sorry.

This was far from the casual chat that V was trying to portray it as.

Jumin: Where have you been all these months?

 

He asked with a hint of suspicion.

V: I got some business to take care of, some very important business. I can't tell you much about it...

This was upsetting because there had always been honesty between them. They were very intimate and used to talk about everything. But as time went on things began to change between them. They started drifting apart, consumed by the destiny of their own individual lives. And they didn't talk as much anymore.This combination of guardedness and lack of interest annoyed Jumin.

Jumin: We used to be able to discuss anything. That was my impression at least. Perhaps it's not how things were.

V: Things have gone on like this for so long, I haven't the faintest idea of how to fix them.

The conversation was clumsy and joyless. V never volunteered information about himself and made no effort to respond.

Jumin: Can you stop being random? Why do you always beat around the bush like this? What is truly on your mind? Pour it out.

 

V: There you go nagging me again. This is kinda like old times. Okay! You win. I give up, I will answer your question. I was content with a lie, an unrealistic image that I had constructed all on my own. I kept it inside because staying within the walls of denial was the only thriving emotion I was able to feel anymore...   
Does that make sense or do I just sound crazy?

Jumin: ...

Jumin was surprised at the sudden burst of emotion from V. He thought about the letter for a moment, yet there was no way he could talk to him about it. He was feeling his pain and opening his wounds was more than he could bear now.

V: All these months I've been languishing in sloth, wallowing in sadness and indulging in self pity, masquerading it as righteous indignation. I had a great deal of difficulty in sorting out what was the truth about my life and what wasn't... I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me.

Jumin: You seem different somehow... Not your usual self.

V: Nothing can be like it was. You need to get used to this, Jumin. When you don't accept life as it is, you get stuck and lose your ability to change. It doesn't matter what you do or how to do it, because you're caught in a continuous loop.

Jumin: I have to say it's really ironic. You saying this.

V didn't like the direction of the conversation and desperately wanted to change the subject. When he finally pulled himself together, he typed quickly.

V: Jumin, I don't have much time left. Please take care of everyone for me while I'm gone ^^ I know you'll make it right... You always do.  
I...  
Kjggfyhgd!!;'%

???

The screen went black!!!

Unknown: Do you believe him?

Jumin froze in position for a second and tilted his head in confusion.

Jumin: Who is this?

Unknown: He's dishonest! You better watch out.  
He always lies. He always gives something that you can believe in.   
But he's always got you chasing something that you never really catch. Just a little bit out of your reach. That's because everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie.  
...

The message disappeared.


	19. Seeking the truth

A lot of strange things and odd coincidences have been happening lately. Seven was becoming more flustered by this unsolvable puzzle, trying to find out the truth behind the hacker and the anonymous letter. Besides, he was still working on tracking V down. He never wanted to resort to those types of tactics but he knew something was wrong with him.  
It irritated Jumin that both of them were purposefully hiding things from him. Seven admitted that he didn't want to include anyone else and his top priority now was keeping everyone safe, but he realized that all he was doing was putting his friends at risk. He never second guessed his decisions, but lately, he too was doing just that.

"Luciel, we need to have a talk face to face."

Seven parked his car in the driveway and went across the street to Jumin's house. He knocked on the door, Jumin welcomed him in. He put his phone and the car keys down on the table and sat on the couch.

"So... where's Elly?"

 

Jumin hadn't signed up for this, and he barely kept himself from rolling his eyes.

"I left her with Jaehee... Look, let's stop the idle chatter and cut to the chase."

He just wanted to be done with this entire situation as soon as possible.  
Seven wiped the silly grin from his face, giving Jumin a recap of his efforts at finding a link between the letter and the hacker.

"I'll give you more details once I talk to V. I tracked his location via his cell phone, he had returned to his house but he may leave at any moment, so there's no time to be lost."

Jumin sighed, clearly irritated, then muttered something under his breath.

"No more secrets. I'll talk to him myself." He said.

"I'm not the one hiding things, Jumin. Cut me some slack, okay?"

A devilish twinkle crossed Jumin's grey eyes as he snatched Seven's keys from the table.

"What are you doing?!" Seven asked in confusion.

Jumin left him locked inside the house and gave the security guard instructions not to let him out. Seven was banging loudly at the locked door.

"You think you're dealing with an amateur?!" He yelled.

Jumin held out the key fob and pressed the little button, the car bleeped and all the lights flashed on. He opened the door and slid into the driver's seat.

Jaehee was also on her way to his house, she was surprised when she noticed him sitting behind the steering wheel of the glossy sharp looking sports car.

"Isn't this Luciel's car?" She asked

"I borrowed it."

There was something fishy going on, she thought.

"Where's the driver?" She demanded.

"I'm the driver."

"But you can't drive."

"Of course I can."

While he turned the key to the ignition to start the engine of the vehicle, She ran around the car to the passenger side, opened the door and slide over.

"Let me come with you." She pleaded.

He told her that he was going to see V so she entered the destination address into the GPS.

Jumin grew excited and wanted to show his driving ability and Jaehee began to feel nervous. When his right foot hit the gas pedal, the car lurched dangerously ahead and it was bucking like a wild horse, nearly throwing them out.

"Whew that was amazing. That must be another of the fancy features this car has." He said.

 

"Please stop! You're driving too fast!" Jaehee cried in panic.

The car screamed off dangerously fast, jingling and chuckling with power and it was spinning crazily. Jaehee felt her stomach drop and trembled lightly with fear.

"If you keep driving like this in these lanes, you're going to kill us." She screamed.

 

"No one asked you to come along in the first place. You insisted."

"That's only because someone's got to look out for you. That's reckless. Very unlike you."

He almost lost control. He pressed his foot down on one of the pedals to stop it, and the car bucked with an ominous grinding noise. He released his foot and the car was creeping forward again.

"Brake!" Jaehee yelled.

"But I don't..."

"For God's sake, brake!!"

This time the car spun once more and came to a stop in front of a railing. They had stopped on the edge of a cliff, a bottomless pit.


	20. Demise

Jaehee's face was hot and her hands were sweating.  
I never should have gotten into this car!  
Jumin's breath was coming fast and hoarse, his hands were still clenched around the hand brake.  
They could have been killed. It had been so out of character for him, being so impulsive.

"Are you okay?" Jaehee asked, sincerely worried about him.

"Just fine." He replied quietly.

"Let me see!" She said reaching towards his face.

Other than a few bruises, he was fine.

"I'm alright!" He snapped.

Jaehee drew a deep breath, trying to relax. Her heart was still pounding. 

"Let's go. I'll drive." She said.

To her surprise, Jumin didn't object.  
She went around and slid into the driver's seat. Once she had her seatbelt securely fastened, she turned the key inside the ignition and pulled back onto the roadway. Jumin settled down into the passenger seat and absent-mindedly watched the sights of the city pass by.  
He glanced at Jaehee every now and then but didn't speak. Her jaw was firm and her attention fully focused on the road ahead. Her hands were gripping the wheel tightly, he suddenly noticed. She seemed almost angry.  
She rolled down the window and her hair blew back in the wind, off her forehead. She looked tough, appealing too. His mouth twitched with amusement at her expression.

"You may need to give me some driving lessons." He said jokingly.

Jaehee winced at the idea.  
Oh, give me a break!

"I don't know about that."

***

"Here we are!" Jaehee pulled up in front of the house, quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the car's door and stepped out.

At the front door, Jumin rang the bell several times but there was no answer. He knocked loud and hard. Still nothing.  
Jaehee went and took a look through the window. After her eyes adjusted to the dim interior and she became suspicious that something was terribly wrong, she pressed her face closer to the glass. The sight of V lying on the floor, unconscious, chilled her bones to the core.  
Several good-sized stones lined a flowerbed behind the house. She hefted one, her hands were shaking almost uncontrollably. She returned to the back door then smashed the windowpane nearest the handle. Reaching in, she flipped the lock.  
Jumin rushed forward and kneeled beside him, too mentally jolted to do anything but stare at him in stunned response. He moved closer and his face grew tight when he noticed the empty bottle of pills lying beside the unconscious man.


	21. Take care

It came as a complete astonishing shock to everyone when they heard the news that V had killed himself. Jumin was devastated and seemed to be struggling the most with the loss, but he kept his feelings and emotions in check. Sorrow, pain, grief, all were hidden under a self-contained silence that shut out everyone around him.  
Jaehee had tried to console him but he had tenaciously remained impassive and isolated. He had shunned most of her kind words and gestures.

***

Taking a deep breath, Jaehee knocked on the door and it creaked open. Jumin's eyes widened.

"Jaehee! What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I need to talk to you."

"Come in."

Jaehee's sudden appearance was a completely unwelcome surprise. Jumin was afraid to talk to her because he feared he would break down in front of her and that would be too embarrassing for him.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seem----"

She hated the tension between them. She didn't want to feel the constant anxiety every time they were in the same room. And never being one for small talk and now too disturbed to speak, it was an awkward encounter.

"I'd rather you left...," his tone was almost nonchalant. It stung her like a slap, "don't be offended but I need to be alone!"

For a moment she thought she saw a flicker of apology in his eyes, but it passed so quickly that she was sure she's only imagined it.  
Jumin felt emotionally drained and ready for the peace that would only come from being alone with his thoughts.  
For as long as she had known him, this has always been his escape route, closing himself off from the rest of the world in hopes of coping with the enormity of his despair. She could tell by the way he kept his words to an absolute minimum and avoided almost all eye contact that his thorny shield of impermeability was beginning to wear down. It was only a matter of time before his pent-up sorrow will find its overdue release.  
There's got to be a way I can reach him before he loses it completely. I have to at least try.

"Jumin, please. I know you're hurt but don't push me away. I can see how much pain you're in. And I hate seeing you like this... Knowing what this is doing to you. Let me help you. No matter what's happened between us, you don't have to carry this grief all by yourself."

Jumin said nothing. She waited. The seconds stretched into eternity and she began to feel uneasy.  
It took every ounce of courage she had just to say those words!  
With one sudden movement, he stepped closer to her and lifted her chin until their eyes met.

"Look, you don't have to pretend you care."

"I'm not pretending."

"It's a waste of your time to try to understand me, because you never will. I can't even understand myself."

As he realised what he was doing, he immediately dropped his hand and backed away. There was an interval of silence and they drew apart.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to deal with this. I don't know how to process what I'm feeling. I don't know how not to be angry. I'm barely holding it together." He muttered apologitacally...

Jaehee didn't want to bother him anymore.

"So." She touched his hand briefly. "Look after yourself."

She tuned away and stood, but Jumin grabbed her hand before she could walk away.

"Jaehee, wait," his tone sent her pulses spinning, "would you please stay?"

Jaehee swallowed hard, and tried to come up with an excuse. She failed miserably.

"I... It's late and we're both exhausted. I think we should call it a night."

"Please?"

There had never been such a fine line between begging and ordering for him. He was not sure whether the words leaving his lips embodied a request or a command. He played it over in his mind, and he still could not decide. But he was far past the point of caring in the least. 

"Because I don't want to be alone right now." He added.


	22. Your presence softens my pain

Jumin poured two glasses of wine, one of which he handed to Jaehee. Together they walked over to the table and sat down. He knew of no other way to calm his nerves and to clear away the doubts and questions in his mind.  
His shoulders have slumped and he sounded so low. Jaehee suddenly felt like hugging him tight.  
No. Stop. That’s ridiculous.  
That popped into her head with no warning. She didn’t mean it.  
Well, if I just think of it as giving a free hug to a friend...  
No, not friend...  
She was blushing at her own nonsensical, meaningless thought process. The wine was beginning to play tricks on her mind.

“Why did you come today?” He asked.

His unexpected question startled her. She took a sip of her wine and hoped that if he noted the sudden flash in her cheeks, he would attribute it to the drink. She took another sip, hoping the wine would help her think more clearly.

"I just want to return the favor." If she kept her answers vague, maybe he wouldn't pry so much.

"You owe me nothing. I guess I just wanted to hold onto something, I wanted someone to cling to and I've been trying to drag you down with me. I don't know how you've coped with me."

"Jumin..." Jaehee kind of felt awkward not knowing what to say next.

"I actually tried not to have too much to do with you. I was usually careful to keep my distance from any sort of entanglement. I've trusted very few people in my life but whether they've wanted to or not, they've all left me. My feelings couldn't reach them..." He got very emotional. He really surprised her. For a moment she felt sorry for him.

"I understand that you've lost someone that is irreplaceable, but the moment you shut everyone else out and distance yourself, is the moment you lose everything." She said.

His eyes widened for a moment, then he shook his head. "Never mind. I don't really know why I'm telling you all of this."

"You've probably got so much locked away inside of you that you need someone to talk to."

"Maybe you're right... But I don't think you would understand."

Jumin was too drained to get into long speeches. He had drunk perhaps too much wine and exhausted everything that he had to say.

Jaehee wanted to leave. As she stood suddenly, her elbow hit her glass, splashing wine on Jumin's shirt, on his face, on the table.

"Oh, I'm... I'm sorry. Your shirt..." She said, trying to swab up the spills and feeling her face turn red.

"That was clumsy of me. I'll get a towel and clean the spots before they stain your clothes permanently." She added.

She rushed toward the kitchen before he could muster a reply. She rushed back with a hand towel and began wiping the stains.  
The closer she got, the more nervous he became.  
Jaehee scrubbed at the stains and apologized again.  
Jumin's face went blank, then he stuck out both of his hands and tenderly encompassed her tiny one.

"It's nothing. Please don't be concerned." He drew her into his arms, holding her tight against him. His hand smoothed her hair, Her cheek pressed against his chest.

“I’m trying to tell you I’m sorry. And I wanted to say thank you, for everything you did for me.” He said.

Jaehee didn't make a sound. It already seemed impossible. It was all too surreal.  
But the moment can’t last forever, and it didn't.  
A small sound interrupted their intense moment.  
Elizabeth!!  
The cat rolled to her feet and then lumbered down from her post to bump her head against the girl's leg. Jumin crouched down to scratch the loudly purring cat.

"I think she missed you."

Jaehee's serious face was lit up with a faint smile at his attempted joke, thinking how lovely it was to see his stern face relaxed and happy.  
And just like that, it was over.  
Now that the joking between them was fading away, embarrassment was starting to catch up with her again.

"Jaehee, I should let you go now. It's late." He spoke quietly without looking at her.

"Yes."

She reached for the door handle, trying to force herself into reality, into rationality. then on impulse she turned around.

“Jumin … I hope you’re OK.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I just need some time to get over... To get over it all.”

He just knew she’d always be there for him, whatever.


	23. you deserve to be happy

At some point in life we all feel sorrow, are forced to deal with situations that we had hoped never to face. Little matter how we react, eventually these feelings will pass and we are left to ponder what has happened, the change it makes to our lives, or simply accept it as one of life's natural events. Life goes on regardless of how we feel about it, and we must move on with it whether we like it or not.   
Death inevitably brings its measure of sorrow, yet it reminds us how strongly we loved those now gone. It is possible to cherish even more strongly those who remain.  
Our sorrow is shared by those who love us, but life still moves forward at its relentless pace, gradually returning us to to those still waiting for our return to their arms.

* * *

Zen: Selfie time :)

Jaehee: You look amazing!

MC: Ooh! ♡♡

Jumin: Have you ever thought about another hobby besides taking pics of yourself all the time?

Zen: I don't take that many selfies. You're so exaggerating.

Jumin: A new study has found that the obsession of taking selfies on smartphones may be a real mental disorder that requires medical help...

Zen: ...

Jumin: Selfies frequently trigger perceptions of self indulgence or attention seeking social dependence that raises the spectre of either narcissism or very low self-esteem.

Zen: Oh, for God's sake, stop.

MC: Jumin, stop judging people. You must learn to accept differences.

Zen: My thoughts exactly ^^

Jumin: It's interesting that you're defending Zen so passionately. You fit together perfectly.

Jaehee: !!

MC: Lol I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or sincere but that's kind of what we wanted to talk to you about. Actually... Zen and I are...

Zen: We're kinda of dating now.

Jaehee: Oh??

Jumin: I see... Well, I hope it works out.

Jaehee: Uh... Congratulations. I'm happy for you.

Jumin: Are you really?

Zen: Yeah. What happened to you, Jaehee? I thought you would lecture me about how wrong the whole thing was.

Jaehee: In spite of what you think, my perspective on a number of things has changed.  
You don't want to spend the rest of your life finding one excuse or another for not taking a chance at happiness, blaming something or someone else for your loneliness. You're happy, you shouldn't have to hide that. You deserve it.

Zen: Jaehee...

Jaehee: I have to admit that I was a little envious, watching you. Now I'm full of regrets thinking of what would've happened had I taken a different path.

Jumin: I've never heard you talk like this.

Jaehee: I... Well... I've changed. My priorities have changed.

Jumin: The ideal version of yourself that you long to become can only grow out of the person you're right now, and it can only happen within the context of the life you already have. There are no real prerequisites for changing your life and working toward the vision you hold for yourself.

Zen: Look who's talking!

Jaehee: haha Jumin is not wrong, I have learned a lot of things thanks to him. Actually, each of you, in your own way, has helped me become a better person...

Zen: whoa, what's going on between you two?

Jumin: What was that?

Jaehee: What do you mean?

MC: Lol.

Jaehee felt sweat beading on her brow. She can’t answer. She had to escape from all this.

Jumin: I have no idea what you're talking about.

Jaehee: I have no idea what you're talking about.

Zen: Now you talk like him.

She paused for a few seconds to gather her thoughts. She searched her mind for something to say that was safely neutral.

Jaehee: We need to have a good working relationship. Nothing more, nothing less.

Jumin felt a twinge of disappointment he had not expected.

Zen: Ikr. Sorry, it was like a bad joke.

MC: You never know haha ;)  
.  
.  
.

Unknown: It looks like you're having fun ^^  
Now that V is gone... You know, he's better off dead. To take one's own life is a coward's end. I think he was a selfish prick.

Jumin: ?

Unknown: My my! What is the matter, Jumin Han? Have I in any way offended you?  
Don't you wish to know the truth about your friend? I'll be glad to do you a favor.  
I'm sending you an adress, if you want to know meet me there tomorrow.


	24. Letting go

Jumin's phone vibrated with a text from an unknown number.  
He did some quick thinking. He had very little information to go on, but he had to make a decision. He knew it could be risky, even dangerous. Though it was a risk he would have to take. He couldn't let the chance slip away. Not when he was this close.   
He tried to contact Seven many times but to no avail. It was as if he had disappeared.  
He was already picking up his jacket from the coat hanger in the corner when Jaehee appeared in his office.

Jumin let out and exasperated sigh. "I'm tired of you following me everywhere I go." 

"I've been trying to call you, but you didn't answer your phone." She said.

He looked at his watch to check the time. "Can you excuse me? I'm gonna be late." He can barely conceal his impatience.

Jaehee was suddenly pale and her lips twitched with worry.

"Late for what?" 

"That's none of your business... Can you please move out of my way."

He moved toward the door, but she blocked his way.

"You're not going anywhere. Not until you listen to me." She swallowed painfully, wondering if her words had been impertinent.

Jumin looked up at her with surprise, though his face quickly hardened with anger. He could feel hot annoyance rushing through him.

"Have you lost your mind?" His irritation and fatigue made him snap. Jaehee winced at the ferocity in his tone.

"Are you going to meet him?" She asked him suspiciously.

He didn't answer her. He was not ready to have an argument right now.

"Please, don't tell me you actually believe this nonsense? We don't even know who he is. You can never trust someone like that." She added.

His mind was made up. He had thought this out for some time now, he was never one to make rash decisions. But it was something he didn't want to talk about with her.

"Jaehee...I just want to know the truth." He said calmly.

Her eyes widened with disbelief. She gave up on rational conversation.

"You can't be serious. Acting hastily on these emotional impulses might cause more pain and you may find yourself regretting your decisions later."

"So how do I find the truth if I always turn away from it once the opportunity presents itself? It might be my only chance."

"The past is gone and no matter what happened, it will remain in the past. You need to let go and move on. Some things are best left unknown, it is less tiresome to let go and just accept what had happened."

Jumin appeared weary and drained. He had enough of this and needed some quiet time alone.

"I know you mean well but just go away." He said trying to end the conversation. 

Jaehee was confused and her nerves were on edge. 

"Forgive me, I have just overstepped my bounds. I didn't mean to interfere with your personal decisions." Her voice quivered when she spoke and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I... I don't want to see you get hurt again, because I care about you. I can't stop worrying about you all the time."

She knew that she had stronger feelings than she had admitted...  
Jumin became flustered, seeing her tears. He felt her words tugging at his heart. A strange feeling stirred in his chest.

"So it was like this. I... I've been so careless...." He spoke softly, as if he felt some regret.  
He caressed her face, gently wiping her tears. "Don't cry, please." He leaned down and placed a light kiss on her cheek.

Jaehee blushed, lowering her head and moving his hand away. Her body tingled all over at his touch.

"Jaehee, listen. Letting go is not easy, I'll never overcome what I don't face, this is very important to me. I'll take care of everything and you have nothing to worry about. I hope you'll be patient with me."

With his heart opened to her, he seemed so vulnerable.


	25. Despair

Jaehee was convinced that Jumin was probably right. It was his decision to make and she felt that he had that right. When they finished their conversation, they headed together for the meeting place. He didn't really want her to go, but she insisted.  
Eventually, the car bumped to a halt and the driver pointed to a solitary building barely visible through all the trees and shrubbery.  
The bodyguard exited the vehicle first and when he was content that the place was safe he held the door open as Jumin walked outside, closely followed by Jaehee. They stopped and quickly glanced around.

"What is this place, really?"

The irregular building, with its dome, spires and high slated roofs, looked like a palace.  
Jumin instructed his bodyguard to stay outside and the driver to remain with car.  
He knocked at the door. No sound, no footstep told him that he had been heard within. He knocked again, then a third time but there was still no movement. Then he laid his hand on the heavy latch; the door opened, and they entered a hall. There was no one to bid them welcome or refuse their entrance.  
They slowly walked down the hallway that stretched on as far as they could see. Jaehee felt nervous knowing that they shouldn't really be there in the first place.   
They heard some muffled conversation coming from behind a huge wooden door that was positioned at the end of the hallway. It was difficult to understand what the voices were saying, so they started walking towards the door. They stood there longer and listened. The two voices were more distinct now.  
They heard a man's voice, clearly now. "He should be here any minute. Everything is going as planned, my saviour." It said.

"Saeran... I told you to leave me alone, can't you just do that. It's over. We have to stop." This time a female voice responded - a voice that sounded too familiar, Jumin thought.  
Her voice sent chills all through him. Could it really be her?

"What do you mean?"

"What's the point really? I'm useless, I'm a failure. I'm losing it now completely..."

Jumin's interest seemed to deepen as his curiosity enveloped his thinking. He knew that voice.   
More and more he felt he was tumbling through a twirling loop of mysteries. His mind raced to find an explanation.

"Why did you bring us this new faith, only to abandon us to our old ways? I believed in all the things you spoke of. I applied everything you taught me." He hears the man scream.

"Poor boy. You have to escape from here." The woman said.

"It's all that man's fault! If it hadn't been for him everything would be all right! You shouldn't be here mourning for him, because he doesn't deserve it."

What are they talking about?  
The woman gave a hysterical laugh that fell abruptly into sobbing. "You think so?" Her voice was shaking with emotion.

There was no mistaking her voice.  
Jaehee grabbed Jumin's hand, the sudden touch forcing him back to reality.

"I don't think it's a good idea for us to stay here." She said.

The talking stopped in an instant. Jumin stretched his hand cautiously towards the doorknob, but before he could touch it, it turned by itself until the latch released. The door then quickly swung open.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop on a private conversation."


	26. Lies

A young man with bleached white hair walked outside and slammed the door shut. His face was pale, and his eyes looked tired.

"I see you're right on time, Jumin. Aren't you quite punctual? It's a value not much appreciated today." He said.

He extended his hand, but Jumin refused to shake it.

"You're so haughty."

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Jumin asked coldly, frowning as he stared him down.

"That's not important right now."

"So what do you want from me, exactly?"

He didn't answer the question, and Jumin was starting to lose his patience. However, Jaehee stood still, her eyes focused curiously at the boy thinking she had seen him somewhere before. There was something very familiar about him.

"Luciel?"

The name slipped from her before she could think. But she'd made a fatal mistake.  
The man's eyes flashed and his mouth tightened. And all of a sudden, his temper seemed to get the worst of him and rage swept over him.

"Don't bring his name up in front of me!"

He pulled out a gun and pointed it right at her!

Jaehee saw the angry impression stamped on his face, and she understood that he was completely out of control and that he was capable of anything in that moment, even killing her. She felt more confused, as she wondered at the man's reaction to hearing Luciel's name...  
Jumin grabbed her and pulled her behind him to shield her from the gunman.

"You stay away from her!" His voice was steady.

The boy let out a loud, raspy laugh.

"It's very touching that you're so concerned for her safety." He exclaimed, sarcastically. "Do you really think he cares for you, woman? Oh my. You're even more naïve than I thought. You thought he cared? You thought that he had feelings for?" Now his laughter rang coarse and cynical. "Do you know why he wanted to keep you by his side forever, Jaehee? It was because you fueled his sense of superiority. It was because you were the one who walked away and his pride was hurt." 

Jaehee couldn't help but feel disturbed.  
But He's obviously unstable, not making sense. Don't listen to him. She thought to herself.

"When he's done with you, he will throw you away." He added. And for a brief moment, his cold anger changed to something else, before his face hardened again.

"We don't know each other at all and this is the first time we've met. How do you know all this?" Jumin asked, irritated.

"I know you perfectly well. After all, people like you never change, right? You appear to be righteous on the outside, but on the inside you're full of hypocrisy and wickedness."

* * *

"Lower your weapon, or I'll shoot you." A voice said from behind them.

Jumin's bodyguard walked slowly up behind the boy. "Put down the gun and you'll save yourself trouble. If you don't, you'll regret it."

The boy thought this might be the time to escape and he started running as fast as he could.

"Too bad we couldn't talk much. But this isn't the end. In fact, it's only the very beginning."


	27. Memories

"What is going on here? What is happening? I don't get it!"

There was something inexplicable which at the moment Jumin was totally unable to understand.  
He headed toward the doorway through which he had heard the woman's voice, no one was there.

"Where is she?"

He wondered for a moment if he hallucinated.

Jaehee looked at him, confused.

"I know that voice. It was her." He said hesitantly.

Jaehee had no idea what he was talking about.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Oh, er... It's nothing. Forget it." He shook his head, looking both irate and bewildered.

I've got to think clearly. Snap out of it.  
Realistically though, the chances of this actually being Rika are virtually nil.  
That's impossible. She's dead. Has been for years.

"We need to get out of here! I'm calling the cops. This is ridiculous." Jaehee was starting to get nervous.

"I need to figure out what's going on here."

Jaehee didn't understand why he looked so concerned, almost sick.

"You're tired... We should let the police handle it." She reached for him but he pushed her hand away. He looked completely irritated.

"You don't have to stay with me. If you don't like it... then leave. I didn't ask you to follow me!" Immediately, he regretted what he said but his words came out before he realized what he was doing.

"You misunderstand me..." She faltered. "You're the one that's going to get hurt! Why can't you see that?"

He hated the look on her face.

"Stop talking nonsense!" He said coldly.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you. I'll leave you alone."

She didn't wait for him to say something; she left without another word.  
Jumin sighed heavily. Things were getting complicated.

*  *  *

We can invest enormous time and energy in serious effort to know another person, but in the end, how close can we come to that person's essence? We convince ourselves that we know the other person well, but do we really know anything important about anyone?

Jumin continued to search the room. In the corner, he found some torn fragments of paper. He gathered them up and began to piece them together.  
He recognized V's handwriting and started reading immediately:

You hurt me far more than you make me happy. But I knew I had the love in my heart to take both the bliss and the pain.  
Devotion is proved by sacrifice and love without pain is truly insipid and imperfect. Supreme love is the infinite surrender so Let this act be the proof of how I feel...

The remainder of the letter was so torn and defaced that it was impossible to decipher.

What does that mean?

All this thinking just made jumin feel more confused. The more he thought about it, the more concerned he became.  His mind was quite befuddled and his suspicions grew worse.


	28. Sincerity

Jumin and Jaehee didn't utter a word for the entire ride home, neither was in the mood to talk.  
The driver parked outside Jaehee's apartment building. She opened the car door and stepped outside.

"Are you all right?" Jumin noticed that she looked pale and tired.  
She nodded. He walked silently beside her until they reached the front door.

"This is more complicated than I thought it would be." He said abruptly.

"Um, yes." Jaehee hesitated as she unlocked the door, trying to avoid conversation.

"We should consider every possibiliy..."

"Jumin," she interrupted him. "Let's talk tomorrow."

She was so sick and tired of it all. She just wanted to be left alone.  
Suddenly, she felt dizzy and leant heavily upon him.

"Jaehee! You're not well!"

She shook her head, and tried to walk, but the next moment she would have fallen, had not his arms been round her.  
Jumin watched her face anxiously as he carried her down the hallway. Her eyelids fluttered, but she remained conscious. He lowered her to the sofa, she placed one hand on his shoulder and straightened into a sitting position.

"Lie down. I'm going to call a doctor." He looked genuinely concerned.

"No, there's no need. I'm just a little tired."

"I had no idea you'd been wearing yourself out like this." 

"I'm fine, honestly." She smiled faintly.

Jumin felt guilty for all the stress and pressure he had placed on her.

"I've got to go. Will you be all right? Please let me know if you need anything."

"Don't go yet."

She had her hand on his arm pulling until he turned around. His eyes widened as he looked at her with astonishment.

"What?" He asked.

"Please. I'll talk or listen to you as long as you like." She looked down, completely embarrassed.

Jumin's expression instantly tightened, his eyes darkening as they narrowed slightly. He didn't know what to say and looked lost.

"Jaehee, you need to get some rest."

"Thank you for caring. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble." She said softly, but she saw her words made him uncomfortable. He looked uncharacteristically agitated.

"It's all my fault. I'm sorry I got you into this." He didn't want to be having this conversation, though he felt compelled to be honest with her. "You've always been there for me, never asking for anything in return. And yet instead of feeling grateful to you, I always end up abusing you. The more I pity you, the more my feelings become bent and twisted. " He held such emotion and nervousness in his eyes.

"But that was then. Not now."

"And now?"

"Well, now that we do understand one another... I know how deeply I've wronged and misjudged you. I admit that I did not feel or think like this in the past." Jaehee said, trying to stop her voice from trembling.  
For some reason, this night she felt free to speak whatever came to her mind without judging each word in advance.

"What makes you think that this time things will be different?" Jumin asked.

"We reconciled our differences and carried on. We're getting to know each other again."

"Why are you telling me this?"

She thought about his question for a moment.

"I want you to be able to talk to me about anything that is in your heart. Let us explain and understand one another."

"I just can't seem to let go of all my doubts."

"I know, you can't consider me for a moment as your equal or your friend. I see that! I know I must hide my feelings, must never allow myself to hope..." Suddenly she was sick of being polite and talking around things. "I never stopped thinking about you. Even after we parted so badly... I thought I'd never say those words because I was sure they'd never mean anything to me. And I was content with that."

Jaehee lowered her eyes and bit her lip holding back the rawness of the emotions and the embarrassment she felt. From all the outcomes she had imagined for this conversation, this one was the worst.  
Jumin stared up at her, stunned, his lips slightly apart.  
Her confession astonished him.

"How long were you by my side, feeling like that? You've always been kind and honest..." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "I haven't valued that enough, but I will from now on."

His hold tightened on her shoulders and before she could protest, he pressed his lips to hers.  
Questions faded away when they were this close.  
Jumin hadn't thought he was capable of these feelings and gave himself up entirely to a totally new kind of sensation, one he had never experienced before in all his life.


End file.
